1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in toys or games, particularly games wherein the strategy involved causes pegs, pieces, or other indicators to be moved, shifted, or otherwise displaced from one position to another. The improvement is in the provision of a new indicator or piece that is never physically removed or lifted off the playing surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Games often involve moving a peg or piece from one location to another. For example, in checkers there are commonly red and black colored pieces that are moved around the game board or lifted off the board. These checker pieces can be placed onto another piece when a piece is "kinged".
Backgammon is another game where pieces are moved around the board from one spot or location to another depending on the roll of dice.
Some games involve removing a golf tee from one location and placing it in another location, while removing a golf tee from the board.
Numerous other games exist that require the movement and/or the removal of a playing piece. What is common with these games is the frequent movement of pieces. As a game progresses the pieces are moved or removed as the rules of the game dictate. The pieces might unintentionally be moved further, particularly when children play, or when the game is played in a moving car or other vehicle. When removed from the board they tend to be put somewhere haphazardly, with the possible result they are momentarily, or worse, permanently lost. Finally, even when putting the pieces away they are frequently lost. As is evident each of these simple events presents the possibility of confusion in the game or a loss of pieces.
The problem of losing pieces has long been recognized. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,103,916, issued on Dec. 28, 1937 to F. H. Robinson, a cribbage scoring device has depressible keys. A system of plungers, levers, and oscillating plates are used and another key is used as a clearing key to restore the keys to an original position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,219, issued on Jun. 24, 1975 to Foerst, has pins protruding through bores that can be pushed or pulled and which are in frictional engagement with the bores. Both patentees avoid the loss of pieces as their keys and pins always remain on the board.